What's recently happened?
June 2 was a big milestone for La Porte High School seniors. Graduation day marked the end of their high school years and the beginning of their new future.
Graduation this year was held at Kiwanis Field located on E Street. A stage was set up in the middle of the field so parents and friends could watch from the stands. Though all couldn’t attend, it was live streamed on television.
Every senior was given seven tickets to give out to people they would like to attend and the stands were packed with support. Some even stood outside the fence to cheer on the seniors.
To start off the night, Principal Chris Alber talked and recognized certain individuals such as students with a 4.0 GPA, Valedictorian Nick Schuble, Salutatorian Alonda Negrete, and members going into service. Following was a moment of silence for individuals who passed or could not make it to graduation.
Before giving out diplomas, members of the band played the 'Star Spangled Banner.' American Sign Language (ASL) seniors signed this to the audience. During the entire night, different interpreters signed every name that was called for the crowd.
What’s Coming up?
Break out the new bikes, because La Porte Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a night ride event!
There will be rides on July 8 and August 12, starting at 9 p.m. with check in starting at 8 p.m. Each date will start at a different location. July 8 starts at Kiwanis and August 12 starts at the La Porte Civic Auditorium.
Each ride is 13 miles long and is a leisurely ride, not a race, just something for the community to get out and have fun. This star and moonlight ride will take members of the community all over La Porte.
For safety precautions, every participant must wear a helmet, have a headlight, and a taillight in order to participate. Additionally, riders under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult or pulled in a tandem.
You must register online before July 7 or August 12 depending on which ride you choose, and the cost per person is $20. Cost for registration when signing up the day of is $30. This fee does include a t-shirt and post-race snacks. Unfortunately, refunds are not available.
Community member spotlight:
Kris Borrelli is making a difference in the La Porte community. She has a mini library in her front yard where people can take and read books of all types and difficulty levels.
Borrelli’s aunt was the first person to introduce her to the Little Free Library. She sent her a newspaper article when she was young and it all blossomed from there.
The Little Free Library is a non-profit organization that is based in Hudson, Wisconsin. Their mission is to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Libraries. They believe that all people are empowered when the opportunity to discover a personally relevant book to read is not limited by time, space, or privilege.
They work with community partners and volunteers to bring their goals to life. They often will grant high-need areas Little Free Libraries because they do not have the opportunities most do. Over 92% of people said they feel like their neighborhood has become friendlier with a Little Free Library.
Borrelli has always been interested in books and reading. It has been a staple throughout her whole life.
“I have loved reading my whole life. I read for enjoyment, stress relief, to satisfy my curiosity and to try on different experiences I might only get to have through the eyes of an author. And although I also enjoy audiobooks and reading on electronic devices, having a book in my hands is still my favorite format,” Borrelli said.
So when her dad built Borrelli her own Little Library, she was ecstatic.
“My favorite part of having the Little Library is being able to pass along books to other readers. As much as I love books and keep some that are special to me, I believe that giving them to others is letting the story continue beyond me,” Borrelli said.
The box gets filled with books she reads or family and friends donate to. Some members who use the box take a book and give one in return as well.
The popularity of the library varies depending on the weather. Borrelli tends to notice less use in the wintertime and more in the summertime.
Borrelli's Little Library was put up in the summer of 2014 and is now officially registered. You can find Borrelli’s library at 2743 S 75 W. It can additionally be found at https://littlefreelibrary.org/ with over 100,000 others around the world.
Borrelli moved to Indiana where she went to Indiana University for graduate school, where she earned her Masters of Library Science. She now works for Duneland School Corporation as a teacher. She moved to La Porte in 2007 where she started her family.